Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe

The best part of chicken burrito is the flavor bursting from the spicy chicken. I first soaked the chicken in buttermilk to guarantee tenderness, then tossed the chicken in a sweet and spicy chipotle sauce. I got inspired by Chipotle's cilantro-lime rice, which pairs perfectly with the chicken. I also added a small amount of black beans (I'm not a huge fan), sour cream, baby spinach and shredded cheddar cheese.

I think I went a little over-board with the over-stuffed burrito. I don't how many calories are packed in this meal, but we ended up cutting each burrito in half. I've recently been craving spicy food and this meal fits the bill. I think I've mentioned it in the past; before I got married, I could barely tolerate the spiciness from a dash of black pepper or heaven forbid a chipotle pepper! Now, being married to Lulu, I crave a hint of chiles. Ah, what we do for love!

Directions

One day ahead...

Marinating the chicken:

Trim the fat around the bottom of the breasts if there is any. Wash and pat them dry using paper towels. Cut into 1" cubes.

Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon chili adobo. Cover with buttermilk. Toss well. Place the chicken in a large bowl or a sealable zip-top bag. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of oil. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooking chicken:

The next day, pat the meat dry one more time using paper towels. (Remove and reserve the chicken 15 minutes before cooking to bring it back to room temperature.) Remove as much moisture as possible. Sprinkle with the remaining chili adobo.

In a skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add half the amount of onions and cook until slightly golden. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the caramelized onions on a small plate. Add the chicken cubes to the skillet. Cover with seltzer water (or regular water). As soon as the liquid simmers, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until soft and tender, for about 30 minutes. Keep stirring every now and then.

Remove the lid; once the liquid is almost reduced, check the doneness of the meat (add another ½ cup of water and cook a bit longer if not fully cooked). If the chicken is cooked, discard the liquid (if necessary). Return the reserved caramelized onions to the skillet. Add chipotle peppers, canned tomatoes, ground cumin, brown sugar and salt. Increase the heat, toss well, then lower the heat one more time. Let cook for an additional 5 minutes. Separate the meat into small pieces. There should be caramel-colored gravy at the bottom of the skillet. Adjust seasoning. The chicken is ready.

Prepping the rice: In a bowl, combine the warm rice (not rinsed) with lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt. Toss well.

Cooking the bell pepper and beans:

In a non-stick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add 2 tablespoons of onions and cook until nicely golden and tender. Once the onions are cooked, add the bell pepper. Toss until softened, then transfer to a plate, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Add the rest of the onions. Cook until golden. Add the black beans and oregano. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Assembly time:

In a hot, un-greased cast-iron skillet, warm the tortillas, one at a time, for about 20 to 30 seconds on each side.

Let everyone assemble their own burritos. Sprinkle a little Cheddar cheese onto the warm tortilla, add a layer of baby spinach (it will wilt with the heat from the rice and chicken), bell peppers and chicken. Top with 1 tablespoon sour cream (if used), the rice and the bean mixture. Wrap the burrito. Repeat until all the ingredients are used.

Slice in half.

Bon appétit!

Tips

I used store-bought tortillas but you can make your own tortillas at home.

Buttermilk is a great meat tenderizer. I used Bulgarian cultured buttermilk. I buy it at a local Middle Eastern market. If you live in the Bay Area, check out the Rose Market -1060 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94040.